opinion Spring arrived almost two weeks ago, daylight savings time has given us an extra hour of daylight, the weather has warmed up, the snow is all gone, and Easter Sunday is already upon us, marking the yearly time of spiritual and personal renewal after a long, cold winter.
All reasons to help lift spirits.
Easter...
Fargo, 58102

Fargo North Dakota 101 5th Street North 58102

2013-01-28 13:15:14

Spring arrived almost two weeks ago, daylight savings time has given us an extra hour of daylight, the weather has warmed up, the snow is all gone, and Easter Sunday is already upon us, marking the yearly time of spiritual and personal renewal after a long, cold winter.

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All reasons to help lift spirits.

Easter is an unusual holiday in that it moves around and very seldom falls on the same day.

I suppose that helps explain the common statement we always hear, "Gee, Easter is early this year," or on the other end of the spectrum, "Why is Easter so late?"

This dating is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on the Roman calendar.

Easter always falls at some point between late March and late April each year, following the cycle of the moon, more specifically always falling on the first Sunday after the first fourteenth day of the moon (the Paschal full moon) that is on or after March 21 (the ecclesiastical spring, or vernal, equinox.)

Probably more information than anyone needs to know or cares about, but the case nonetheless.

It appears that with the upgraded weather, this year should be perfect for the Easter bunny to be out and about making his rounds passing out colored eggs in traditional baskets spreading the spirit to young and old alike.

Particulars may vary, but most cultures around the world use the egg as a symbol of new life and rebirth.

Interestingly, the first book to mention Easter eggs by name was written five hundred years ago; yet, a North African tribe that had become Christian much earlier in time had a custom of coloring eggs at Easter.

No matter what the history, the fact remains that Easter is a time of celebration and rejuvenation meant to be enjoyed with family and friends.